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Biodiversity conservation in the Sacred Landscapes of the Eastern Himalayas
Ghanashyam SharmaEnvironment & Sustainable Development Programme
Prof. Koji TanakaCentre for Integrated Area Studies, Kyoto University
Outline
Biodiversity Significance
Farming Systems
Livelihood of the peoplePresent Research in the UNU and after
Some Outcomes
World’s Biodiversity Hotspots
Biodiversity Hotspots in Red (Myers, et al, 2001)
India Map
The Eastern Himalayas
• The Sikkim Himalaya• Eastern Nepal• Bhutan• North-eastern States of India• Some parts China and Myanmar
Sikkim Himalaya• Sikkim- A Himalayan state of India• Darjeeling Hills
Map showing the land-use land-cover in SikkimSource: NBSAP for Sikkim 2002
• 82.31% of the total geographical area is under the Government of Sikkim
• 15.69 is available for farming• 12.23% is cultivable
Biodiversity Significance
• World's Ten Critical Centers for Biodiversity and Endemism
• Sikkim Himalaya is a part of biodiversity "hotspot"
Red Panda150 species of mammals
Monal Pheasant552 species of birds
Butterflies690 species of butterflies
Rhododendrons36 species
Some Important Medicinal Plants-Sikkim
Tulsi- Ocimum sanctum
Kurilo- Asparagus racemosus
Sarpagandha- Rauwalfia serpentina
Kalobehi – Solanum nigrum
Pipla- Piper longum
Jethimadhu- Glycyrrhiza glabra
Kutki- Picrorhiza kurooa
Kapisful, Kuth- Saussurea costus
Jatamansi – Nardostachys jatamansi
Ishabgol- Plantago ovata
Chutro- Berberis aristata
Garjo, Gurgau - Tinospora cordifolia
Chiraita- Swertia chirayata
Bel- Aegle marmelos
Bikh, Atish- Aconitum heterophyllum
Amla- Emblica officinalis
About 500 speciesare widely used
Medicinal plants practitioner
Takin (Budorcas taxicolor) Sikkim
450 species of trees
Tropical Shorea forest to alpine Rhododendron-Birch forest
515 species oforchids
About 26% total plant wealth ofIndian sub-continent
363 species fernsand allies
• Sikkim is phytogeographically rich and houses about 4500 species of plants
• 60% of which are endemic• 48 species of fishes • 33 species of reptiles• 16 species of amphibians reported till
date
Meeting ground of Indo-Malayan & Indo-Chinese biogeographical realms
as well as Himalayan and Peninsular Indian elements that has given rise to a very rich
biodiversity both wildand in cultivated landscapes
Lakes of Sikkim
Tsongu Lake
Khecheopalri Lake
Perennial rivers and valleys
Who conserves this Biodiversity• Diversity of ethnic communities• Traditional Institutions• Farmers
Biodiversity Conservation • Protected Areas
• Wildlife Sanctuaries• National parks• Biosphere Reserves
• Reserve Forests, Community Forests• Cultivated Systems
• Agricultural biodiversity
Traditional Institutions
• Dzumsa System• MLAS• Other Community based traditional
institutions
The Lachen Valley Dzumsa System (3000 m)
Motanchi Lom Al Szezum (MLAS),Lepcha traditional institution
• Resource allocation and utilization is controlled by Dzumsa
Bhutia Lepcha
Nepali
Farming systems
• The alpine agropastoralism• Traditional Agroforestry
systems• Upland Valley Rice cultivation
Villages Blocks under traditionalFarming System in Sikkim
Tibetan Nomadic agropastoralism
• Yak, sheep grazing in the main occupation
• The products are meat, wool, cheese, medicinal plants
The
Lhon
akVa
lley
Challenges of the Dokpas• Difficult mountain specificity• Population decreased• Decrease of grazing land• External pressure• Livestock population reducing
What we intend to do• Documentation and dialogue in a
participatory manner
• Recognition of the system
• Conservation of Biodiversity
Traditional Large Cardamom Agroforestry
Production and Economics• Low volume high value non
perishable less labour intensive cash crop
• Net return range from US$ 714 to 1000 per hectare
• Good storing/keeping quality and does not require immediate marketing
• 53% of the total world production is produced by the farmers of Sikkim with an earning of about 15 million US dollars
• Basic resources such as fuel, timber and fodder are available in the system
Advantages• Ecological Sustainability
• Cultivars• Ecological amplitude• Soil fertility maintenance
• Economic Return• Agronomic• Timber and NTFP
• Biodiversity
• High Carbon Sequestration Rates
• Comparative Advantage
• Absolute Advantage Resources
Cardamom curing in the Bhatti
• Curing is traditional
• Quality maintenance (aroma and colour) for good market
Mandarin Orange Mixed-tree Agroforestry
Mandarin orchard and intercropping
Production and Economics• High value, high volume, less labour
intensive, Net return range from US$ 500 to 750 per hectare
• Basic resources can be met in the system from the associated tree diversity
• Comparative advantage
Ecological Ecological sustainabilitysustainability
•• Soil and nutrient loss Soil and nutrient loss are fairly high from the are fairly high from the system and nutrient system and nutrient exhaustiveexhaustive
•• Maintains tree and other Maintains tree and other associate biodiversityassociate biodiversity
Mixed Farming Mixed Farming Agriculture SystemAgriculture System
Slope management and agroforestrydevelopment
Multiple intercropping and multipurpose tree management
Agriculture and Education
Upland Valley rice Cultivation
• Local landraces of rice are many• Pulses, beans and soybeans are
grown in the raised bunds• Introduction of landraces• Once rice is harvested farmers
grow wheat, potatoes, maize and other vegetables
Some underutilized crops• Rich agrobiodiversity
• genetic diversity• Ecosystem diversity• Species diversity
• Crops such as pulses, finger millet, rice, buckwheat have good market
• Basic resources such as feulwood, fodder, timber etc.
• Maintain associated biodiversity Multiple values of traditional crops• Medicinal , nutritional• Other
Farm-based agroforestry
Mixed cropping
A typical mountain village
The Sacred Himalayan Landscape
• The Demozong Heritage• Ters• Beyuls• Beyuls Khenpalung
Rumtek Monastery
Biodiversity Products and Prospects
• Protected areas• Traditional Agriculture system• Ethnic diversity• Ecotourism destination• Ecological and ecosystem services• Sequestration of carbon
Indigenous Knowledge, Traditional Food & socio-cultural Diversity
in the Sikkim Himalaya
Source: JP Tamang 2006
Turangbai in Arunachal Pradesh
Kinema
Hawaijar in Manipur
Source: JP Tamang 2006
Source: JP Tamang 2006Women sell Kinema in the weekly markets
Chhurpi a milk product
Source: JP Tamang 2006
Fermented beverage Jdnar from finger millet
Source: JP Tamang 2006
Edible Wild Plants
Urtica dioica ‘sishnu’ Tupistra nutans ‘nakima’
Source: JP Tamang 2006
Marketing Edible Wild Plants in Sikkim
Marketing Edible Wild Plants in Sikkim
Source: JP Tamang 2006
Traditional Wood carving, Carpets etc. are good products
Goal:
Mountain Agrobiodiversity Conservation focusing on Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Sustainable Livelihoods and related Policy Imperatives: A case study from the Eastern Himalayas
Main Objectives
1. Assessment• agricultural biodiversity
2. Management• innovative adaptive management practices, • traditional knowledge systems, • technologies and policies on agriculture on biodiversity
3. Capacity• Strengthen the capacities of farmers • indigenous and local communities• stakeholders to manage sustainable agricultural biodiversity
4. Mainstreaming• Participation and consultation of all stakeholders a• Promote Agricultural biodiversity• mainstreaming in sectoral and cross-sectoral plans and
programmes
Research in Sikkim• To investigate the Potential of Sustainable Agorecosystem
Management
• To find policy options to establish SAM to improve sustainability and livelihood
Join UNU PLEC at SEAMMR
• Study and understand the UNU PLEC project through specific site visits and sharing with various stakeholders in each country
• Compare and compile the relevant results which would be replicable to Sikkim and in the adjoining areas
Plan of Research
Partnership and dialogue
• Visit of UNU team to Sikkim• A preliminary workshop was organized
• Government of Sikkim, ICIMOD, UNU, Kyoto University, NGOs and R&D Organizations participated
• Partnership and collaboration initiated
• GIAHS Draft Proposal Reviewed by the Government
• GIAHS proposal submitted to the FAO
• We would discuss it with the Government of Sikkim during our visit to Sikkim in April
Recent Outcomes